Adjustable picture frame



N. G. HORWITT ADJUSTABLE PICTURE FRAME March 17, 1959 Filed Aug. 22, 1955 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent ADJUSTABLE PICTURE FRAME Nathan G. Horwitt, Lenox, Mass.

Application August 22, 1955, Serial No. 529,701

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-1521) The present invention relates generally to adjustable frames for supporting pictures, mirrors, plaques or other similar objects.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, simple and yet efficient frame for supporting articles of the described type. In accordance therewith, another object of the present invention is the provision of 'an adjustable frame construction which eliminates the necessity for a separate spring heretofore utilized to adjust the frame to the particular article carried thereby and yet to retain the spring effect in A still further object is the provision of a frame which is adjustable in a vertical direction so as to accommodate or adjust to the lengths or heights of the pictures or other articles which are to be supported thereby, which frame has a highly novel hanger which facilitates and cooperates in the tightening of the frame about the article to be carried thereby. I

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing which illustrates the best modes presently contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a picture, or the like, carried by a frame pursuant to the present invention, which frame is suspended on a wall surface;

Fig. 2 is a .rear view of the frame with a picture, or the like, provided therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the frame hanger, a portion of which is broken away for purposes of illustration, and showing a portion of a beaded chain utilized to tension the frame about the picture or other article carried by the frame, the figure illustrating an intermediate step during the adjustment of the frame to the vertical dimension of the picture;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l and illustrates the condition of the chain after the frame has been adjusted to the picture carried thereby;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hanger;

I Fig. 6 is a front view, on a greatly reduced scale, of a picture or similar object provided on the frame of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, illustrating a modification in a frame member; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

"Referring now to Figs.'1 through 6 in detail, there is- 2,877,585 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 illustrated an adjustable frame, pursuant to the present invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. Said frame comprises an upper frame member 12 and a lower companion frame member 14, said members being interconnected by the flexible elongated element or beaded chain 16 carried by the lower frame member 14 and releasably engaged with the hanger 18 carried by the upper frame member 12.

The upper frame member 12 is formed of a strip or rod of inherently resilient preferably metallic material I and is bent to provide a rear or apex portion 20. From the opposite ends of the apex portion 20, there extends the forwardly projecting portions 22, and from each of the latter portions, there extends a reflexed or downwardly projecting portion 24. The portions 24 are provided with the inturned confronting free ends 26 which mount a preferably circular elongated sleeve 28. The

sleeve 28 is formed of any suitable material, preferably a suitable plastic, and is rotatable on the free ends 26.

Centrally thereof, the rear or apex portion 20 mounts the hanger 18. Said hanger is preferably formed of a suitable metal and is provided with a top wall 30 in which there is defined an aperture 32, the function of which will hereinafter appear. The aperture 32 is olfset from the longitudinal center of the top wall portion 30, as best seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The hanger is also provided with a bottom wall 34 which is provided centrally thereof with a diagonally extending open ended slot 36. Since aperture 32 is offset from the longitudinal center of top wall 30 and slot 36 is disposed centrally of the bottom wall 34 it will be noted, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, that the open end or mouth of slot 36 is laterally offset from aperture 32. The bottom wall 34 is provided additionally with an aperture 38 having a constricted opening 40, the function of which will presently appear.

' 42 'and with an opposing side wall portion 44. The

j defined therein, having a constricted opening 50.

addition, the wall portion 44 is provided with the portions 52 and 54 which mutually diverge outwardly from the opening 48 to define a V-shaped guide which extends towards said opening, the functions of which will presently appear.

The lower frame member 14 is formed also of a preferably metallic'rod or strip of an inherently resilient mate rial. Said lower frame member is provided with a rear or apex portion 56, the opposite ends of which are provided with the forwardly extending portions 58. From said portions 58, there extends the upwardly directed or refiexed portions 60 which are provided with the inturned confronting free ends 62. Said free ends mount a sleeve 64 for rotation thereon, said sleeve being similar to the previously described sleeve 28 of the upper frame member.

The beaded chain 16 is secured at one end thereof, as by the clip 66, to the rear or apexed portion 56 of the lower frame member. The chain 16 extends through the previously mentioned aperture 32 in the hanger 18 for tightening the frame members 12 and 14 on a picture, plaque, mirror, or similar article, as hereinafter described in'detail.

In using the adjustable frame 10 of the present inven- .tion, the upper frame member 12 is set over the top edge of the composite picture P which is constituted by the glass 67, the picture 68 and the backing member 70, the picture being sandwiched between the glass and the backing member. The lower frame member 14 is mount- The hanger 18 is provided with a side wall ed on the lower edge of said composite picture, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. More specifically, the lower edge of the picture P rests on the forwardly projecting portions 58 of the lower member 14, said member straddling the picture so that the apex portion 56 of the member 14 is at the rear of the picture and the sleeve 64 is at the front of the picture. Similarly, the upper edge of the picture abuts the forwardly projecting portions 22 of the upper frame member 12 with the upper frame member straddling the picture so that the apexed portion 20 and hanger 18 are disposed at the rear surface of the picture and the sleeve 23 is disposed at the front surface of the picture. The beaded chain 16 is then threaded through the aperture 32 in the hanger and the hanger is adjusted on the apexed portion 20 so as to align the aperture 32 with the chain 16 so that the chain will be disposed centrally of the aperture for movement relative to the latter without hindrance by the bounding surface of the aperture 32. The hanger 18 is then pressed downwardly by applying finger pressure on the upper wall 30 thereof, and the portion of the chain extending above the aperture 32 is then pulled upwardly to draw the chain tightly between the frame members 12 and 14. It will be noted that since the open end of locking slot 36 is laterally offset from aperture 32, said locking slot does not interfere with the aforedescribed upward movement of the chain through aperture 32 for drawing said chain tightly between frame members 12 and 14. The downward finger pressure on the hanger 18 stresses the apexed portion 20, of the upper frame member, downwardly and the upward pull on the chain stresses the apexed portion 56 of the lower frame member 14 upwardly so that the latter will be drawn from the full to the broken line position thereof illustrated in Fig. 2.

When the frame members 12 and 1-6 have been sufficiently drawn together so that the forwardly projecting portions, respectively, thereof tightly engage the opposite edges of the picture P, and both frame members are sulficiently stressed, the chain 16 may be temporarily retained in the tightened condition thereof by engaging the bounding surface 72 of the aperture 32 between the chain bead B1 immediately outwardly of the aperture 32, and the chain bead B2 immediately inwardly of said aperture. The chain is then adjusted below the aperture 32 by moving the chain laterally to the broken line position thereof illustrated in Fig. 3 so as to engage the chain into the retaining or locking slot 36 which, as previously indicated, is disposed substantially centrally of the bottom wall 34 of the hanger 18. With the chain locked in the slot 36, the tightly drawn chain remains in tension between the stressed upper and lower frame members to provide for a tight engagement thereof on the upper and lower dges of the picture P respectively. It will be noted that the stressing of the upper and lower frame members, and the retention of the chain 16 in tension therebetween, obviates the necessity for providing separate spring means between said upper and lower frame members to retain the latter in the required tight engagement with the upper and lower edges respectively of the picture P.

The chain may now be disengaged from the bounding portion 72 of the aperture 32 and the hanger may be adjusted so that it will be disposed centrally of the apexed portion 20, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The portion of the chain extending outwardly of the aperture 32 may then be looped, as indicated by the loop L in Fig. 4 and the free end thereof may be conveniently engaged in the aperture 38, which is provided with the constricted opening 40, to releasably retain the free end of the chain in position on the hanger 18.

With the frame secured in position on the picture P, or on a similar article as described, the frame may be readily mounted on a wall W by means of a nail 74. More specifically, the nail is inserted into the wall W with the head 76 thereof spaced slightly from the wall so as to receive the hanger 18. While the framed picture will block the nail from view during the hanging thereof, the hanger 18 may be readily positioned above the nail on the wall W and moved downwardly until the portion of the nail projecting from the wall engages either the hanger portion 52 or 54, which portions define the previously described V-shaped guideway. Continued downward movement of the hanger will be guided by said guideway so that the aperture 48 will engage the nail between the head 76 thereof and the wall W, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The constricted portion of the aperture 48 will prevent the inadvertent disengagement of the hanger from the nail.

As best illustrated in Fig. 6, the framed picture P when mounted on the wall W will present a highly decorative appearance, the apexed portions of the upper and lower frame members, the hanger 18 and the beaded chain 16 being hidden from view between the framed picture and the wall.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, there is illustrated a modification in the securement of the sleeve on the upper and lower frame members. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a fragmentary portion of the inturned end at the lower right hand corner of the lower frame member 14, viewing Fig. 2. Pursuant to the present modification, the lower frame member 14A is provided with an inturned free end portion 62A, at each of the inturned free end portions thereof, which is flattened, as at 80. The flattened formation 80 is received within a complementary formation or rectangular slot 82 in the adjacent end of the sleeve 64A. The sleeve 64A is preferably non-circular in cross section, being shown. as having a generally elliptical crosssectional contour, as illustrated in Fig. 8. It will be understood, as previously indicated, that each end of the sleeve 64A is provided with the rectangular slot or formation 82 to receive the adjacent flattened portion or free endformation 80 of the frame member 14A. It will be understood further that the free ends 26 of the upper frame member 12 may also be provided with the flattened portions 80 and that the upper sleeve 28 may have a noncircular cross-sectional contour and be provided with rectangular slots or formations 82 to receive the flattened free end portions at the adjacent ends of the upper frame member 12.

While the picture P has been illustrated and described as having upper and lower edges which are straight, it will be understood that the adjustable frame 10 may also be used to mount a picture having upper and lower curved edges, for example, when the picture P is round or oval. In this connection, it will be apparent that the rearwardly directed portions 22 of the open upper frame member provide two laterally spaced points of support for a curved upper picture edge, which would project upwardly of the upper frame member between said points, and similarly the rearwardly directed portions 58 of the open lower frame member provide two laterally spaced points of support for a curved lower picture edge, which would project downwardly of the lower frame member between said points, as illustrated for example in my copending application, Serial No. 354,795 filed May 13, 1953.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described herein in connection with a picture, it will be understood that the adjustable frame may be used to hang other types of articles, such as for example and not by way of limitation, mirrors, plaques etc.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims, wherein the term picture includes a composite picture, as previously described, with or without either the glass and backing member, as well as the picture itself, or mirrors or plaques whichmay be mounted by the adjustable frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claini and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A frame of the character described, comprising a pair of frame members adapted to engage opposite edges, respectively, of an article engaged therebetween for mounting said article in the frame, one of said members having a limited amount of resiliency, a flexible and inextensible member adjustably interconnecting said frame members to draw them together into said engagement with the framed article, each of said frame members having front and rear parts spaced from each other to receive a marginal edge portion of the article therebetween, said rear part of each of said frame members having a pair of arms terminating in a central part integral with the arms of each pair, respectively, an apertured part fixed to said central part of one of said frame members, said flexible interconnecting member having one end portion thereof secured to said central part of the other frame member and having the other end portion thereof extending through the aperture in said apertured part whereby said interconnecting member may be tightened for urging said frame members into engagement with the article held therebetween, said apertured part having an open ended locking slot for adjustably and releasably holding said interconnecting member in said tightened disposition thereof, the open end of said locking slot being laterally offset from said aperture so as to prevent said locking slot from interfering with the tightening movement of the interconnecting member when the latter is being pulled through said aperture.

2. A frame of the character described comprising a pair of frame members adapted to engage opposite edges, respectively, of a picture engaged therebetween, a beaded chain, said chain being secured at one end thereof to one of said frame members, means provided on the other frame member for releasably engaging said beaded chain, said means having a portion in which there is defined an opening through which the chain extends and which is alignable with the chain for providing maximum pull on the chain in tightening the latter between the frame members, said means having a part provided with an open ended locking slot having the open end thereof laterally offset from said opening so as to prevent said locking slot from interfering with the tightening movement of the beaded chain when the latter is being pulled through said opening.

3. A frame of the character described comprising a pair of movable frame members adapted to engage the upper and lower edges, respectively, of an article engaged therebetween, each of said frame members comprising an article engaging part having a predetermined limited amount of resiliency, a beaded chain, a frame hanger provided on one of said frame members, said chain being secured at one end thereof to the other frame member and being engageable with said hanger for drawing said frame members together against said upper and lower edges of said article to the final adjustment of said chain to the height of the article, with resilient engagement of said parts, within said predetermined limited amount, with said article, said hanger having a top wall portion in which there is defined an opening through which the chain extends and which is alignable with the chain for providing maximum pull on the chain in tightening the latter between the frame members, and an open ended locking slot for said chain provided in the bottom wall of said hanger and having the open end thereof laterally offset from said top wall opening so as to prevent said locking slot from interfering with the tightening movement of the chain when the latter is being pulled through said top wall opening, and said hanger having a side wall portion provided with an opening adapted to receive a member for suspending the frame on a wall, and hanger portions mutually diverging outwardly from said latter opening to define a guide for facilitating the engagement of the suspending member in said latter opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 238,807 Phillips Mar. 15, 1881 291,221 Osborn Jan. 1, 1884 1,010,633 Jacobson Dec. 5, 1911 2,016,942 Horwitt Oct. 8, 1935 2,209,972 Horwitt Aug. 6, 1940 2,604,286 Meline July 22, 1952 2,686,641 Friedrich Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 154,439 Germany Sept. 5, 1904 7,454 Great Britain Mar. 28, 1906 

